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School of Performing Arts

Billy Wilburn

Lonnie Wilburn

Title

Artistic Director Of Prairie Repertory Theatre, Associate Professor of Theatre

Office Building

The Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center

Office

189H

Mailing Address

Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center 189H
School of Performing Arts-Box 2830
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Biography

I am a educator, designer, and performer at South Dakota State University and the Artistic Director for Prairie Repertory Theatre.
I was born and raised in Ashland, Kentucky. I attended Morehead State University, in the hills of Kentucky, where I found my love for theatrical design and received a B.A. in theatre. For graduate school I attended Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. In graduate school I studies and designed scenery, costume and was an educator. So far in my career at SDSU I have designed costumes or scenery for over 100 theatrical productions. I also serve as the chair of Design, Technology and Management for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival-Region 5.

CV

CV_Wilburn_2017_web.pdf(283.44 KB)

Social Media Links

Education

  • B.A. in theatre | Morehead State University | 2002
  • M.F.A. in production design | Michigan State University | 2007

Academic Interests

  • Costume technology
  • Thermoplastics
  • Costume design
  • Scenic design
  • Scenic painting
  • Rendering
  • Stage make-up
  • Portfolio and resume building
  • Theme park design
  • Musical theatre

Academic Responsibilities

  • Serve as artistic director of Prairie Repertory Theatre
  • Serve as costume and scenic designer
  • Serve as costume shop manager

I have taught the following courses at SDSU:

  • THEA 100: Introduction to Theatre
  • THEA 131: Introduction to Acting
  • THEA 145: Theatre Activities - Technical
  • THEA 240: Stage Costuming
  • THEA 243: Make-up
  • THEA 346: Theatre Activities - Technical
  • THEA 435: History of the American Musical
  • THEA 443: Costume Design
  • THEA 470: Portfolio and Resume Building
  • THEA 491: Independent Study
  • THEA 492: Topics - Theme Park Design
  • THEA 492: Topics - Costume Crafts
  • THEA 492: Topics - Scene Painting
  • THEA 492: Topics - Travel Studies: London

Committees and Professional Memberships

Committees

  • Member of the Campus Planning, Design and Sustainability
  • Member of the Graduate Faculty 
  • School of Performing Arts Faculty Council Member

Professional Memberships

  • United State Institute of Theatre and Technology
  • Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival - Region 5: Chair of Design, Technology and Management
  • Advisor to Alpha Psi Omega Lambda Sigma Cast, National Theatre Honors Fraternity

Awards and Honors

  • Outstanding Artist, College of Arts and Sciences, SDSU
  • Best Set Design for The Sound of Music, Broadway World Sioux Falls
  • Best Costume Design for The Marvelous Wonderettes, Broadway World Sioux Falls
  • Best Costume Design for Shrek the Musical, Broadway World Sioux Falls
  • Distinguished Artist, College of Arts and Sciences, SDSU
  • Best Set Design for She Loves Me, Pulsar Award, Lansing, Michigan 

Grants

  • South Dakota Arts Council - Arts Challenge Grant

Areas of Research

  • Costume Technology and Thermoplastics
  • Entertainment Design in theme parks

Department(s)

Related Links

Personal Website